NASA announces $10b. contract for lunar cargo lander in push toward eventual long-term moon base

NASA announced a $10 billion contract for a lunar cargo lander network as part of its push toward a permanent moon base. Competing companies include SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman Space Systems, along with six others. Other projects announced include a nuclear-powered moon rover and a communications tower.

NASA announced a new series of investments and initiatives on Saturday to advance its technological capabilities with the eventual goal of establishing a long-term base on the moon, including a $10 billion contract for a cargo lander network which several companies will compete for. Among the companies in the running for the contract were Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman Space Systems, a company which also sells weapons to Israel. Six other companies are also competing. The initiative is the second phase of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS). Over the course of the 10-year framework, companies are expected to provide delivery services to the moon, including managing, building, and operating landers for NASA technology and infrastructure. Several other projects related to the eventual sustained lunar presence were announced at the MAX POWER aerospace expo, including a nuclear-powered moon rover called PROMISE and a Mini-Communications and Solar Tower (miniCAST). NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, "We are building the Moon Base mission by mission," and Carlos García-Galán, manager of the Moon Base Program, said NASA had made "incredible strides" toward its goal.